Protecting system



Oct. 24, 1933.

J. E. JOHNSON 1,931,580

PROTECTING SYSTEM Filed Nov. 16. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l Q w \1\ z s m z Q a u I 5% ,S u *n Q z O N l D a l i L I vo@ R S; hg INVENTOR,

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ATTORNEYS Oct. 24, 1933. J. E. JOHNSON PROTECTING SYSTEM Filed NOV. 16, 1931 2 Sheets-Shea?I 2 1N VENTOR) .Efe/v Z f5/9771027.

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Patented ct. 24, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Applic 7 Claims.

This invention relates to protecting systems for' buildings, and'l isv designed particularly for use' in bank buildings, wherein is included a series of cages for tellers, a main entrance door, and a passage or hallway leading to the employees quarters.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of a protecting system having as a part thereof, means for positively locking the door to the building entrance when some act of violence has been performed in the building, or when the authorized occupants thereof deem it necessary to operate the system to the extent of rendering ineifective the exist from th-e building.

Another object of this invention is the contemplation of an audible or visible signal which. is combined with the hereinbefore mentioned system to the extent that the two willk act simultaneously.

A still further object'of theinstant invention is to provide within a building protecting system, means for signaling the presence of an unauthorized person within any given chamber or way within the building, which means may be rendered inoperative by employees or similar persons having the proper knowledge of the system and articles for rendering the same inoperative las and until the automatically operable portion of the system has been passed.

A yet further object of my invention is to provide a protecting system for banks which includes novel latching structure that might be associated with a revolving door and included as a part of a closed electrical circuit, whereby when this `circuit is broken in any manner whatsoever the revolving door is locked against movement.

Another and more detailed' object of `this invention is the provision of a unique partition and shield structure for tellers cages, wherein is embodied comparatively fragile electrical conductors which form a part of a closed circuit of the system contemplated.

Further and more minor objects of this inven- V tion, including structural details and specific electrical hookups, will be made clear and understandable throughout the following specification referring to the accompanying drawings,wherein:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatical, perspective view of a bank building having a protecting system ation November 16, 1931 Serialv No. 575,295

(Cl. 2li-1.01)

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the mechanism shownin Fig. 2, taken on line III--III of said figure.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, sectional view throug a portion of the floor of a passageway, illustrating the depressible portion thereof and its association with an electrical switch.

Fig. 5 is a vertical, fragmentary section through a portion of a tellers cage showing'the use of screens forming a part of this system, and,

Fig. .6 is a wiring diagram showing the electrical circuits involved in a protecting system of -the character contemplated.

It is understood in this art that protecting systems for banks have, for the most part, been conned to signals of various characters whichare ineffective in arresting the movements of unauthorized persons, andwhich may be rendered im operative 'by cutting off the source of energy supply. yOne of the salient features of this invention is the provision of means whereby the escape of a bandit or the like is rendered impossible when the electrical circuit controlling the action of novel locking means is broken or opened in any manner whatsoever. v 80 By virtue of the fact that there are banks and buildings of varied constructions to be protected by systems of this type, it is understoodv that such details as are mentioned hereinafter are not to be construed as limiting, but are for the purpose l of disclosing the invention and its necessary component parts.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views, the numeral 8 designates a bank` building having a door 10 through which the building is entered or left. A revolving door 12 supported for rotation by the vertical shaft 14 must be moved when a person enters or leaves the building and it is with this mainentrance door that the hereinafter described latch is associated. Employees quarters 16 are divided from the other partyof the bank building 8 by partition 18, having a suitable .number of windows 20 formed therethrough, behind which stand the employee. A shield 22 is located adjacent said partition 18 and rearwardly of window 20 and, furtheigbetween the employee and window 20.

Partition 1,8 may have an insert 24 closeto win-105 Y vcent weight 68.

of the wires 28 would be broken and the hereinafter described closedvcircuit would be opened.

Employees quarters 16 are entered through a passageway 30 which is floored with a depressible platform 32. A door 34 is at one end of passageway 30 while door 86 may be at the other end thereof. This passageway cannot be entered by an unauthorized person without setting up an alarm by closing a circuit, wherein is interposed contact points 38 which are bridged by connecter 4i) when floor 32 is moved down by the introduction of a weight thereupon.

A spring or similar means 42 is provided to hold floor 32 in a set position, as illustrated in Fig. 4, and hinges 44 maintain floor 32 in position. The switch which includes contact points 38 and bridge 40 is interposed in a circuit which when closed, rings bell 46, It is desirable to silence this bell when employees are traveling through pasageway 30, and to accomplish this feature, the two three-way switches 48 and 50 are provided close toeach end respectively of pasageway 30. These switches are of the keyoperated type and only those carrying proper keys-can silence the bell 46. As an example, when an employee enters passageway 30 through door 36 he previously operates switch 48 to open the bell circuit. After passing through door 34, he operates switch 56 to set the circuit so that it might be operated by depressing iioor 32.

Door 34 is provided with a screen 52 which is formed of a continuous wire similar to the screen 24 embedded in partition 18. As a matte-r of fact, this screen 52 forms a part of the main circuit of the protecting system, and if an unauthorized person were to enter passageway 30 and break screen 52, the action would not only cause bell 46 to sound, but would operate the herinafter described latch to lock door 12. Windowshield 22 is equipped with an embedded screen 54 which is a part of the main circuit of this system. Shield 22 is made up of a number of sheets of material, the rearmost sheet being bullet-proof armor plate 56 while the forward sheet is of fragile material and carries screen 54 therein. The size of shield `22 is somewhat greater than the size of window 20 and it would be impossible for a shot to be red through this window without shattering the front lamination of shield 22 and breaking screen 54. Communication window 25 through inset 24-is protected by a covering formed by screen 26, and, likewise would be broken if anything were passed therethrough.

Y A latch assembly is associated with revolving door 12 to secure the same against movement when the system is brought into play. This assembly is clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 and includes a plate 56 suitably secured to the upper end of shaft 14 in a manner to cause plate 56 to rotate with door 12. Plate 56 is housed by members 58 and cannot be reached without removing at least the uppermost member 58.

A series of apertures 60 formed in plate 56 and disposed in an annular path about shaft 14 as a center, receive plunger 62 when it is dropped thereinto by breaking of the main circuit.

The main circuit is always closed and solenoids 64 are energized to hold down lever 66 lagainst the urge of gravity weight 68, positioned on the opposite side of support '70 from solenoid 64. Pin 72 pivotally supports lever 66 and plunger 62 is adjustably carried by lever 66 adja- Manifestly', when solenoids 64 are deenergized, plunger 62 will be carried down by gravity to enter the appropriate perforation door 12.

60. Since screens 26, 52 and 54 are a part of the conducting material for the main circuit current, and since this circuit is normally closed when set, breaking of any screen will render solenoids 64 inoperative.

It is desirable to provide a manually operable switch '74 for the purpose of locking door 12 when these screens are not broken. This switch should be close to an employee and there may be as many as the situation warrants.

Alarm bell 46 is to be operated when the door latch is caused to assume an operative position. Besides the switch that is closed by floor 32, a switch is built into the latch mechanism above Contact points 76 are closed by connector 78 when plunger 62 is in the locking position with respect to plate 56. Arm 86 is supported by lever 66, and moves to the switchclosing position when the main circuit is broken.

Obviously the alarm circuit will be closed when-the main circuit is opened. After breaking the protective or main circuit door 12 is movable but a very slight distance about its center shaft 14. 1n fact, the maximum amount of movement is dened by the distance between perforations 60, and since this distance might be altered to suit the type of door, the device is effective and suitable for all installations.

Fig. 6 diagrammatically illustrates the circuits employed in this system, and the main, normally closed circuit might be understood by recognizing that energy passes from one power line 82 to the other 84 as follows: wirer 86, vto switch 74, to screens 54, 26 and 52, to conductor 88, to solenoid 64, to wire 90, and thenceto line 84 through conductor 92. When any' part of this circuit is opened, the latch at door 12 is allowed to become effective.

When this system just outlined is opened, the alarm circuit which is closed thereby is rendered live to operate bell 46 through the following connections: Line 84, to conductor 92, to wire 90, to branch 94, to connected contact points 76, to wire 96, to bell 46, to branch 99, to conductor 98, to wire 86,and to line 82.

Bell 46 is caused to ring when floor 32 is depressed unless the circuit is' opened by either lows: from line 84, to conductor 92, to wire 90, to branch 100, contact point 38, bridge 40, contact point 38, to line 104, switch 49, Vline 110, switch 50, wire 112, to conductor 102, to bell 46, to branch 99, to conductor-98, to wire 86, and to line 82. Y f

' Obviously if either-oi switches 48 or 50 is opened, the'closingof contact points 38 is ineffective.

The electrical energy supplied from lines 82 and 84 may be from anysource, and additional connections might be made without altering the general idea involved.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to bcsecured by Letters Patent is: f. I

1. In a protecting system for bankshavinga revolving door at the entrance thereof, and a windowed partition; an electrical circuit; and a latch for said door, said circuit including a comparatively fragile screen embedded .in said partition, and a solenoid to maintain said latch in the inoperative position when said circuit is closed.

2. 'Ina protecting system for banks, a revolving door; a latch for said door disposed thereabove; a windowed partition having a fragile screen of conducting material embedded therein; a window shield adjacent but separated apart from said partition; a screen of conducting material embedded in said shield; solenoid to maintain said latch in the inoperative position; and an electrical circuit including said solenoid and said two screens. v

3. In a protecting system for banks, a revolving door; a latch for said door disposed thereabove; a windowed partition; a fragile screen of conducting material embedded in said partition; a shield adjacent said partition; a screen of conducting material embedded in said shield; a solenoid to maintain said latch in the inoperative position; an electrical circuit including said solenoid and said two screens; and a signal operating circuit having a switch adjacent said latch whereby when said rst mentioned circuit is opened, said signal operating circuit is closed by movement of said latch.

4. In a protecting system of the character described; a revolving door having an apertured vplate revolvable therewith; an electrical signal circuit; an electrical latch-operating circuit; and a latch for said door including a plunger movable into one of the apertures of said plate, said latch-operating circuit including a solenoid to maintain the plunger inoperative when said latch-operating circuit is closed, said signal circuit being closed by the movement of ysaid plunger to the operative position. v

5. In a protecting system for banks having a revolving door at the entrance thereof; a latch for said door including a solenoid to maintain the latch in inoperative position; a tellers cage having a windowed partition; a shield adjacent the partition Window; a screen of conducting material embedded in said partition and shield; and an electrical circuit including said solenoid and said screens, said circuit being normally closed to maintain the door in operative condition, the said door latch having a plunger movable by gravity when the said circuit is opened by breaking any part of either of said screens.

6. In a protecting system, a tellers cage; windowed partition; a window shield; a screen of comparatively fragile material embedded within said partition and shield; said shield having laminations of different materials, one of said laminations being appreciably harder than the others, said embedded screen being within the most fragile lamination.

'7. In a protecting system for buildings, a passageway; a depressible iloor in said passageway; a switch operable by depressing said floor; a door at each end respectively of said passageway; a screen forming a part of one of said doors; a signal circuit including said iioor-operated switch; a revolving door at the entrance to said building; a latch for said door; an electromagnet to maintain said latch in an inoperative position; and an electrical circuit including said door screen and electromagnet whereby when said screen is broken said entrance door is locked against movement.

JOSEPH E. JOHNSON. 

